Egao
by Aion Laven Walker
Summary: That smile which gives me hope...I want to protect it... R&R! XD
1. Lightning

**Disc: I don't own Final Fantasy XIII…**

**Myaa~ I really love chapter 7 so much! And after I watched the hugging scene, I wanted to write this fanfic. And… I made this while listening Hope's Theme and Sustained by Hate. Those are great music.**

**Enjoy! XD**

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_**Lightning's POV**_

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As I saw a giant explosion, I knew something was happened to them…to that boy…

That boy… Hope Estheim… wants to revenge his mother, to Snow who caused her death. Me too, lost my parents when I was the same age like him. But I don't want him to end like me. He is still too young, still a kid who needs protection, a kid who still need guidance.

I don't want to see him killing someone. Don't want to see his hands sustained by blood. I want to him smile… like when he was smiling kindly to me.

I don't know if my decision was right… let Snow to take care of him. Is he trying to kill Snow now? Or… is he yelling at Snow now? I just don't know… But I know Snow will take care of him.

Can that boy forgive Snow? I really hope for that…

No matter what you do, even if that killing people or revenged, those people who lost their lives won't come back.

Revenge is useless. I know that boy understands that too. But blinded by anger. He is angry… to Snow… to himself… because he couldn't do anything at that time.

That boy… is strong but also fragile. Because of that part, I want to protect him.

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As Fang and I come to their place, I kinda surprised to see Snow unconscious. And Hope… he's fighting alone against that monster. He's in trouble.

And with our help, that monster can be defeated.

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Hope is shyly looking at me and then he hands me over the knife I gave to him. The knife that Serah gave to me as a birthday present and also as a good luck charm. Why does he give the knife back to me?

Like he can read my mind, he smiles sadly to me.

"Operation Nora… It fails."

That operation, that's the revenge plan to Snow. He told me about it when we're at Gapra Whitewoods. I smile at him and without thinking, I hug him.

I can see him surprised by my action and his face is blushing.

"Light-san?"

I'm glad… very glad… This boy… Hope… didn't stain his hand with blood…

"Protect you. I will protect you…"

I said it as I wrapped my arms tightly around him. I already lost my only sister… and I almost lost him…

"Me too. If I can, I want to protect Light-san too…"

I almost gasped in surprise. Hearing his words…makes me feel happy. I look at him as I give him reassuring smile. And he smiles back at me… sweetly. His smile makes me want to hug him again, but punch his forehead lightly instead as he laughs.

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I want to protect that smile… that smile which makes me still needed… that smile which gives me second chance…to protect what important to me…

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**Review! XD**


	2. Hope

**Disc: I don't own Final Fantasy XIII…**

**Okay, I've decided to make this fic as two-shots. And this time, from Hope's POV. **

**Enjoy! XD**

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_**Hope's POV**_

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Why?

Why did Light-san tell me to stop the Operation Nora?

Why did Light-san tell me to stop the revenge?

Why did Light-san leave me?

Why did Light-san order that bastard to protect me?

She knows that I hate him! She knows that I want to revenge to him! So… why did she toss me to him?!

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With no choice, I must follow him… the one who caused my mother's death… Snow Villiers. How can he so calm and smiling like that? He's so reckless. Without thinking he scares the people. Bluntly telling them that he's a l'Cie. Of course they become afraid of him… and me.

It hurts me… seeing the people I know… now glaring their eyes with hate and disgust.

That blond man even uses his l'Cie power! And that makes them to hate us more…

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He is saying that he will save Serah and protect the Cocoon. But does he know that as the l'Cie, we already lost our hope? Just look at the way other people look at us. They hate us… and even call us as monsters. But that man… still laughing like nothing happened.

I know revenge won't bring back the one who already gone. But at least… I want to hear him apologize. Apologize because he failed to protect mother… apologize because he made mother died.

I want to hear it from his big mouth. But he's still laughing and smiling. Unconsciously, I grip the knife that Light-san gave to me… as a good luck charm. To me, that knife is not just a good luck charm. With that knife… I will take his life. A punishment he deserves… death.

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A while ago, I heard Light-san spoke to him with a communicator. I also heard she asked him to take care of me. I don't want it… I don't him to protect me. And when I heard she said something about me, I grabbed that communicator.

"_Snow, listen. About Hope… that kid is-"_

"Light-san, please don't tell him about me."

But the signal was getting bad and I couldn't hear her voice very well.

"_Hope? Hope!"_

"…Sorry."

I murmured as the signal went off.

"What's wrong?"

That man called at me. I didn't want to see his face, so I looked downward.

"The signal's gone. We can't contact them."

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After we ran quite far and battled, we rest. That place… is the place I used to be with my mother when I was little. He buys a drink for me, but I refuse it and he drinks it instead.

I ask him again about his goals. And he answers it just like before… save Serah and protect Cocoon. It's really getting my nerves when hearing that answer.

"What happens when your actions end up ruining someone's life? How do you pay for what you've done?"

I raise my voice while asking those questions. He becomes more frustrated and saying that he doesn't know how to apologize. That he can only moves forward. That makes me angry. It's just the same as running away!

With my anger, I use my l'Cie power to blow him off a high ledge. And seeing him hanging on the edge, I grab that knife and prepare to kill him. I stare at his eyes.

"Nora Estheim. That's my mother's name."

He surprised. Well, that's too late. I already decided to end your life… here!

_BOOOOM!!!_

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Ugh… my head feels hurt… What…happened?

The last thing I remember is I was going to him… to kill Snow. After that… I saw a Sanctum Airship, firing missiles. And after the explosions behind me… I don't remember what happened next.

But why I feel like something carrying me? Is it Light-san? Did she come and save me?

I open my eyes and seeing a very wide shoulder. And that voice…

"Oh, You're awake."

It's him. Snow Villiers.

"Why?"

Why did you save me? I was going to kill you… so, why? You're my enemy… you're the source of my grudge.

He smiles again… but weaker this time.

"I promised Nee-san to take care of you. To Nora too…"

I can't believe it. He… wants to protect me who was trying to kill him? Seeing him wounded because of saving me earlier, somehow… I can't hate him anymore. Light-san, is this why you asked me to stop my revenge?

He keeps carry me until he's very exhausted and then… the monster we fought earlier came back and makes Snow unconscious. I want to run… I'm not strong… I can't fight it alone… But, I can't leave him alone either.

Light-san!

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This is my limit. I know I can't win. I…

"Hope!"

That voice… that's her voice… Light-san. She comes with another woman with large tattoo on her left arm, the one who came with Snow earlier. With their help, we can beat that monster… together.

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After the battle was over, I… I look at her and hand her the knife that she gave to me. She looks confused. I give her my smile.

"Operation Nora… It fails."

I don't need it anymore… because I will move forward. I don't want to dwell in sadness anymore. Light-san looks want to say something but she doesn't say it. Suddenly, she hugs me. My face is getting red at that instant.

"Light-san?"

"Protect you. I will protect you…"

I'm happy… to hear that. But… you're always protecting me. It sounds doesn't fair.

"Me too. If I can, I want to protect Light-san too…"

She releases her embrace and smiles at me. Her smile… is so warm despite her cool attitude. I smile back to her and she punches playfully to my forehead. And then, I laugh… happily. I feel my shoulders aren't so heavy anymore. My burdens… seem disappear when seeing her smiles.

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I want to be strong… Stronger enough to protect her. So I can feel the warmth of her smiles.

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